


Green Eggs and Hulk

by Ysabetwordsmith



Series: Love Is For Children [13]
Category: Hulk (2003), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: #coulsonlives, Adorable Hulk, Age Play, Anger, Anger Management, Birds, Books, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Canon-Typical Violence, Comfort Reading, Communication, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hope, Hulk Feels, Hulk Needs a Hug, Hulk Smash, Hulk Talks, Love, Multiplicity/Plurality, No Sex, Non-Sexual Age Play, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Non-sexual, POV Hulk, Protective Hulk, Reading, Reading Aloud, Storytelling, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-07
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-18 03:16:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1413010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysabetwordsmith/pseuds/Ysabetwordsmith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers fight some giant birds. After smashing the ones on the ground, Hulk gets bored. Agent Coulson reads him a story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. City Has Bird Problem

Hulk comes out to fight. City has bird problem. Hulk is confused. He thinks of pigeons and sparrows. _Why need Hulk?_

Bruce thinks of big birds with sharp beaks and claws. Inside their head are paintings of nasty birds and pictures of old bones.

Then first bird finds Hulk. Bird looks Hulk right in face! Hulk has never seen other bird so big and mean. Black feathers flash green in sun. "Hulk-bird," he says.

"Hulk, smash the birds!" says Star Man.

Hulk is happy to smash. He swings his big fist. Hulk-bird jumps away. It screams at him. Hulk roars back.

Hulk-bird is fast. Hulk is faster. He catches Hulk-bird and smashes it. Hulk spits out feathers and looks for new bird.

He smashes one, two, three Hulk-birds. He can count little bit.

Then two beaks peck on Hulk at once. He does not like that. Hulk roars. Birdie shoots one Hulk-bird. Hulk smashes other.

Hulk finds egg in park. Egg is big and green like Hulk. There is no fighting right here. Hulk stops to think. _Maybe egg come from Hulk-bird_.

Team needs to know about that. Hulk uses talky thing that Tinman made for him. "Hulk find egg," he says. "Big. Green. Hulk smash?"

Agent says, "No, don't smash it. I'll send someone to pick it up. Go smash more birds."

Hulk-birds are more fun to smash than eggs. Hulk goes. He fights hard. Hulk-birds peck him but Hulk is hard to hurt. Hulk is strongest!

One Hulk-bird grabs Red. Hulk squeezes it by neck. Hulk-bird drops Red. Hulk smells blood. Red limps away. Hulk squeezes until flapping stops. _Hulk angry! HULK SMASH!_

Soon there are no more Hulk-birds to fight. Hulk kicks last one again. Feathers fly. Hulk sneezes.

"Iron Man, bogey incoming on your six!" shouts Birdie.

"Hawkeye, get me ID on that plane," Tinman says.

"That's not an airplane, it's a fucking condor!" Birdie says.

Hulk looks. Birdie is right. Hulk-bird is size of plane. Hulk jumps, but Hulk-bird is too high to smash.

"I got this!" Tinman says.

Hulk stops jumping. Team is good. Tinman can smash way-high things. Hulk watches. Tinman flies away after plane-bird.

City is empty now. Hulk-birds all dead. Fire hydrant makes water. Hulk drinks from hydrant. Broken glass tinkles. Half a car honks and flashes. Boring.

"No more smash?" Hulk asks. "Bruce now?"

"No more smashing at the moment, Hulk, but we need you to wait a little longer," says Agent. "More of the birds might come."

Hulk humphs to himself and sits down. "Time?"

"It's four twenty-three in the afternoon," says Agent.

Not quite suppertime. Hulk is hungry anyway. Fighting is hard work. "Hulk wait," he says. He wants to be good for team.

So Hulk waits. Cloud goes over sun. Water from hydrant stops. Cloud goes away. Hulk picks feathers off himself. Feathers are bloody and itchy.

"Time?" Hulk asks.

"It's four twenty-eight, five minutes after the last time you asked," says Agent. "Are you bored? I can come keep you company."


	2. You Did a Great Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agent Coulson and Hawkeye keep Hulk company after the battle. Hulk is more wary of other SHIELD personnel.

"Uh-huh," Hulk says to Agent. He wants company. Hulk watches clouds some more. Come. Go. Nice day, but boring after fight. Hulk does not know what to do with himself. Maybe team will help.

Agent comes, talking to air. "Yes, well, with so many of the major organizations crippled, the small-timers are coming out of the woodwork," he says. "We knew this would happen. Just seal up the lab and wait for the survey team."

Hulk tips his head. Bruce is thinking hard in back of their mind. _Birds. Dinosaurs. Eggs. Trouble. Worry-worry-worry_.

"Jurassic Park," Hulk says carefully.

"And tell the survey team to check for genetic engineering, possibly using contemporary species to reconstruct extinct ones. Thank god it's only terror birds and not a T-rex," says Agent. "Make sure you _find all the eggs."_

"Hi," Hulk says. He likes Agent a lot.

"Hi," says Agent. "Did you have fun smashing? You did a great job."

"Uh-huh," Hulk says, grinning. Nice words feel good.

"How many birds did you smash?" Agent asks.

"One, two, three," Hulk counts, holding out his fingers. _More?_ Hulk thinks. He tries to remember words for more. Words are hard.

"Good for you. I think you got more than three, through," Agent says. He counts more fingers. "Four, five, six, seven, eight. Tell me again. How many birds did you smash?"

Hulk unfolds his fingers until his hands look like Agent hands. "Four, five, six, seven, eight," he says.

"Good boy!" Agent says. Hulk grins at him.

Birdie comes. "Nothing happening in the sky, so I came down to walk Black Widow to the ambulance," he says. "Figured I could keep Hulk company now."

"Red okay?" Hulk asks. Inside him, Bruce worries. Hulk worries too. He remembers blood smell and Red limping.

"Yeah, it's just a scratch; a few stitches and she'll be fine," Birdie says.

_"Bad_ Hulk-birds," says Hulk. He remembers that Red heals fast. Bruce is not worried now. Hulk is not so worried but still angry at birds.

"Well, they won't bother anyone again. You sure smashed them flat," Birdie says, looking around at sticky piles of feathers.

Then Hulk smells something other than blood, feathers, and dust. He lifts his head, trying to find it.

"Did you hear something?" Agent asks.

"Smell suit," Hulk grumbles. Hulk does not like suits much. They are mean to Hulk. Sometimes they are mean to Birdie too. That is fault of bad man but also Hulk. Now Hulk is sorry for smash. Suits do not care about sorry. Two suits walk down street. Hulk glares at them.

"Be good, Hulk," says Agent. "Smith and Jones are nice."

Hulk sniffs them. They do not smell mean. They smell like food. Hulk remembers them now. These two do not pick on Hulk and Birdie. "Okay suit," he says. His tummy rumbles.

"Smith, Jones, what have you got?" Agent asks.

"Snacks and drinks," says Smith. He carries things that smell good.

"Ground patrol confirms no more hostiles on the loose here. SHIELD is sending some air support for Iron Man, who found two more condors," says Jones. "It could be a while before the whole op sounds all-clear. We thought you guys might get hungry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A [power vacuum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_vacuum) can occur any time the [most influential individual, group, or aggregate disappears](http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-power-vacuum.htm) from the top of the heap. This is why [arresting drug lords doesn't always help](http://theweek.com/article/index/247827/5-reasons-arresting-drug-lords-wont-solve-the-worlds-drug-problem). The [evil power vacuum](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvilPowerVacuum) is an entertainment trope. After doing major damage to several of the global nemesis factions, the Avengers are left [playing whack-a-mole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whac-A-Mole) with lesser adversaries.
> 
> [Jurassic Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Park) features reconstructed dinosaurs which wreak havoc on snack-sized humans. That Bruce can discern the similarity of events, and pass this information to Hulk to relay to the team, is a big improvement in their cooperation.
> 
> [Early math skills](http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/early-development/supporting-early-math-skills.html) include things like recognizing more or less of something. Toddlers should be able to [count small numbers](http://www.getreadytoread.org/early-learning-childhood-basics/early-math/understanding-numbers-and-counting-skills-in-preschoolers), recognize [shapes and colors](http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080823225106AAKGieo), etc. It helps to [play counting games](http://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/games-that-teach-numbers.aspx#/slide-1). Here you can see that Hulk has a low starting point, because of his awful childhood and poor opportunities -- but as soon as someone coaches him, he picks up new information quickly.
> 
> Most humans are either [sight, hearing, or touch dominant](http://www.vaknlp.com/usa20015.htm). Hulk has enhanced senses, and uses his nose [much the way a dog does](http://www.petdig.com/info/pet/dog-s-senses/53/), far more than humans typically do. [Animals can smell pheromones](http://news.psu.edu/story/141321/2005/03/16/research/probing-question-can-animals-really-smell-fear) associated with such things as fear, aggression, or arousal; although it works better within their own species than a different one. In comic canon, Hulk and relatives, such as [Red Hulk](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Comicbook/RedHulk), have been mentioned with [enhanced senses](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SuperSenses). [Bruce's quote](http://www.moviequotesandmore.com/the-avengers-quotes-1.html) \-- "I'm exposed, like a nerve. It's a nightmare." -- supports this interpretation.


	3. Would You Like Me to Read You a Story?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hulk and friends enjoy their snack. Then Phil reads a story.

"Egg foo young and egg rolls? Seriously?" says Birdie.

"It fits the theme of the day, and we found a food truck wrecked a block away," says Smith.

"This will do nicely, gentlemen, thank you very much," says Agent. He takes big bags of food and sends suits away.

Green tea in bottles makes Bruce lean forward. He thinks about Hulk-birds and eggs. He wants to come out. Hulk pushes him back. _Not come yet!_ Hulk scolds. _Maybe not safe. Agent say wait_.

"Let me guess, Bruce wants the tea," Birdie says. "Here, have a Ramune, he hates those." He passes Hulk soda instead.

Hulk loves soda. He also likes funny bottle with marble top. Bottle is easy for Hulk fingers to open. Bruce does not like marble top. He leaves Hulk alone now. Hulk is happy. Soda fizzes sweet in mouth. Food tastes like egg.

Agent and Birdie eat little bit. They leave most food for Hulk. Agent wipes hands on napkin. "Would you like me to read you a story while we wait?" he asks.

"Story!" Hulk says. Story is fun like smash, but different way.

"Can I listen too?" Birdie says. "I know they haven't sounded the all-clear yet, but nothing is happening down here. Hulk's right, this is boring."

"Keep your eyes on the sky and your ears on the ground," Agent says. Then he takes out flat thing that lights up. "You boys ready?"

Hulk opens next soda. Marble clinks against glass. Birdie snuggles against back of Hulk to watch sky. "Uh-huh," Hulk says.

"I am Sam. Sam I am," Agent says in perky voice. It makes Hulk think of Tony poking Bruce. Tony is not scared of Bruce or Hulk. That makes them feel safe with him.

"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am," Agent says in grouchy voice. It makes Hulk think of Bruce on bad day. They do not have so many bad days now. Tony helps. Whole team helps too.

Birdie is giggling between Hulk shoulders. It tickles and feels good. Hulk laughs too. "Funny story," he says.

"Do you like green eggs and ham?" Agent asks in perky voice. Then he changes to grouchy voice. "I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham."

"Stupid grouch," Hulk says. "Food good, eat up."

"Some people are picky eaters," Birdie says. "Not us, huh buddy? We'll eat anything that doesn't eat us first."

Agent looks little bit sad. "Would you like them here or there?" he says. "I would not like them here or there. I would not like them anywhere."

Hulk likes funny story. He likes words that go around and around. They fall like rain, one-two-three. Hulk taps his fingers.

"Would you like them in a house? Would you like them with a mouse?" Agent says.

Inside, Bruce grumbles. He does not like silly word tricks so much. He does not like stories about feelings either. He naps instead. Napping is good and safe.

"I do not like them in a house. I do not like them with a mouse," says Agent.

Hulk counts words, one-two-three-four, one-two-three. Big fingers tap on ground. When Hulk taps, little rocks bounce. Sounds tickle Hulk ears. Hulk laughs, soft so he can still hear story. Words are easy to hear again and again. _Fox. Box. House. Mouse_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Egg Foo Young](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_foo_young) is a famous Chinese dish similar to an omelette. [See a recipe](http://chinese.food.com/recipe/egg-foo-yung-24687).
> 
> Egg rolls come in many varieties including the [Chinese egg rolls](http://www.steamykitchen.com/13029-my-mothers-famous-chinese-egg-rolls-2.html) also known as spring rolls, the [Hong Kong style](http://www.food.com/recipe/hong-kong-style-egg-roll-swiss-roll-374423) also known as swiss rolls, and the [Indian style](http://secretindianrecipe.com/recipe/egg-roll) favored in Kolkata. Smith and Jones have brought an assortment.
> 
> [Green tea](http://www.thedailymeal.com/best-tasting-and-healthiest-bottled-iced-and-green-teas) can be healthy but some bottled versions have a lot of additives. [Honest Tea](http://www.honesttea.com/tea/glass/just_green/) has some good ones. [Ramune](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramune) is a Japanese soda produced in a [Codd-neck bottle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codd-neck_bottle) sealed with a marble, hence the nickname marble soda. [Banta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banta) is a similar Indian soda.
> 
> [_Green Eggs and Ham_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Eggs_and_Ham) by [Dr. Seuss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Seuss) is a famous children's book. [Online bookstores sell it](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/green-eggs-and-ham-dr-seuss/1100170349?ean=9780394800165). You can also [read most of the words](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/dr+seuss/green+eggs+and+ham_20208487.html) or [watch an animated video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULDtgnQ0fy4) of it.  (Thanks to  for finding this video of [Neil Gaiman reading _Green Eggs and Ham_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKh_WOfxkA4).)  Despite the seemingly simple content, Dr. Seuss used some [sophisticated linguistic tricks](http://doe.concordia.ca/copal/documents/2_Foster_and_Mackie_Vol4.pdf) and [progressive ideas](http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/14765-radical-reading-the-progressive-dr-seuss). If you like my rhymed, metered poetry then he is one of the influences you have to thank for that.
> 
> [Reading to toddlers](http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/reading_toddler.html) helps them learn new things and form healthy connections with adults. Doing character voices is a useful skill for [reading aloud](http://edu101.hubpages.com/hub/Read-to-Your-Kids-A-Read-Aloud-Guide-for-Teachers-and-Parents). Of course Agent Coulson can do voices, he's a spy.
> 
> [Prosody](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosody) spans a variety of related linguistic concepts. Here we're seeing examples of [poetic prosody](http://tinablue.homestead.com/Prosody1.html) \-- the technical elements -- such as [meter](http://tinablue.homestead.com/Prosody2meter.html) and [syllables](http://www.fridaynightlinguistics.org/lingresources/syllables.html). As Hulk demonstrates, you don't need an advanced education to appreciate great poetry. Even very young children will move their hands or feet in time to music or rhythmic poetry, and Dr. Seuss writes with a driving beat. [Counting syllables on your fingers](http://faculty.goucher.edu/eng211/meters_which_count_the_feet_upon.htm) is an effective technique for getting the meter right. I still do it myself.


	4. Hulk Thinks of Bruce Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hulk listens to the end of the story, and eventually the all-clear sounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here ends "Green Eggs and Hulk." Thank you all for sticking with the series this far! I love your input. Final thoughts on the story overall are welcome, in addition to reactions on this specific chapter. I also have a list of [favorite photogenic scenes](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9313791.html) from the whole series for fanartists to consider, partly compiled from audience requests.
> 
> The next planned post will be "[Hairpins](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9666269.html)," about Phil realizing that JARVIS is a person; that's a flashback to the time of "[Love Is for Children](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9139725.html)."
> 
> A note on feedback: While it's not necessary to comment on every post I make, remember that I don't know who reads/likes things if nobody says anything. Particularly on long stories, I've discovered that I get antsy if there's nothing but crickets chirping for several posts. So it helps to give me feedback at least once, even if it's just "I like this" or "This one doesn't grab me." First and last episodes are ideal if you rarely feel inspired to comment in the middle.

"You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may. Try them and you may I say," Agent reads. His voice pulls and coaxes.

Hulk thinks of Bruce again. Hulk and Bruce argue. They must sound like this. _Do you ...? No! Would you, could you? NO!_

"Sam! If you will let me be, I will try them. You will see," Agent says.

Hulk wonders if he can make Bruce try new things more. Maybe Hulk should listen to Bruce more too. Arguments make Hulk sad. They make Bruce worry. Hulk wants inside of their head to feel good. Feelings are important. Hulk knows this. He does not know how to show Bruce though.

Story is almost done when talk-thing squawks. "All clear," it says. "All clear!"

"Iron Man, situation report?" asks Agent.

"All three bogeys down," says Tinman. "I think Hawkeye is right. These look like some kind of weird-ass giant condor. Send somebody to scrape up the bits for Dr. Banner, would you? He'll want to see this. I'm about ten miles north of you, sending coordinates now."

Agent talks to Smith and Jones again. He talks to other suits. Boring.

Hulk sighs. Waiting is hard. He wants to be good for team. Birdie feels warm against his back. Hulk hunkers down like big rock. He waits.

Finally Agent stops talking.

"Finish story?" Hulk asks. "Please?" Hulk is learning magic words.

"All right," Agent says. "I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am!"

"That was great, thanks," Birdie says.

Hulk nods. "Story good," he says. "Words sound nice."

"I'm glad to hear that," Agent says. "We can do more reading later. What else did you like about this story?"

"Hulk like new food too," he says.

"Well, we'll see about finding more new things for you to try," Agent says.

Hulk itches. He smells like broken pillows. _No good for Bruce,_ he thinks, shuffling in place. Inside him, Bruce is still napping. _Hulk keep Bruce safe_.

"What's wrong, buddy?" asks Birdie.

"Hulk _itch,"_ he says, scratching himself. "Go home now? Hulk get bath?" After fight with stinky goats, Tony fixed bath place in gym. Now Hulk can wash there too. Hulk wants his rubber duckie and sunshine soap.

Birdie twists around and sniffs at Hulk. "Yeah, you've got blood and feathers all over you, yuck! Definitely time for a bath."

They go to find team. Red is limping. Hulk picks her up. She smacks him on shoulder. "Put me down!" she says.

"No hitting," Hulk says. "Red hurt, Hulk carry."

Red grumbles at him but stops hitting.

"Play nice, get story," Hulk says. He puts Red on seat of team car. "Would you? Could you? In a car?"

Red just frowns at Hulk. He thinks she does not know funny story about green eggs.

Agent closes doors. Inside, Agent turns into Uncle Phil. Change is quiet, not loud like Bruce-and-Hulk, but Hulk knows.

"I am Sam. Sam I am," Agent says in perky voice.

Hulk fingers tap on own leg. One-two-three. _Happy-happy-happy_.

~ MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Trying new things](http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/trying-new-things) is an important part of life with [many benefits](http://www.depend.com/mens-solutions/articles/why-not-the-benefits-of-trying-new-things/14000055434). Aim to [keep an open mind](http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-an-Open-Mind). It's natural for [toddlers to explore](http://urbanext.illinois.edu/toddlers/exploring.cfm), but some are adventurous while others are cautious. Despite Hulk's skittish nature with people, he's open to trying new things. Bruce is more reserved, which is kind of odd for a scientist -- but remember how much trouble his curiosity has caused him. There are tips on helping kids [overcome fears](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-b-pincus-phd/kids-fear_b_1725248.html) and [try new foods](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charity-curley-mathews/kids-and-food_b_1778559.html).
> 
> [Arguing](http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/kidssay/arguing.html) happens a lot, but is often [a waste of time](http://flcourier.com/2013/12/05/why-arguing-with-people-is-usually-a-waste-of-time/). Understand how to [defuse an argument](http://www.wikihow.com/Defuse-an-Argument). [Sibling rivalry](http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/sibling_rivalry.html) poses special problems. Know how to [stop fighting with your sibling](http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Fighting-With-Your-Brother-or-Sister) and how to [stop your children from fighting](http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/building_relationships/sibling_rivalry/stop_sibling_conflict.aspx).
> 
> [Unhappy families](http://www.psyarticles.com/development/unhappy-families.htm) have some [common problems](http://thoughtsonlifeandlove.com/unhappy-families-common-problems/). While the household situation is greatly improved, Bruce-and-Hulk are still pretty stressed on the inside. There are [building blocks](https://www.cbn.com/family/parenting/Burns_BuildingBlocks.aspx) for creating a [happy family](http://www.prokerala.com/relationships/family/happy-family-tips.php). Learn how to [handle unresolved conflicts in your family](http://stress.about.com/od/relationships/qt/unresolved.htm).
> 
> [Patience is a virtue](http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-true-meaning-of-patience-let-go-and-take-your-time/), and it takes [practice to develop](http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/turning-straw-gold/201305/impatient-why-and-how-practice-patience). This is one area where Bruce is ahead of Hulk.
> 
> Young children often need help to figure out the "[magic words](http://community.scholarschoice.ca/teacher/making-manners-matter-4-magic-words)" of etiquette. Presumably Bruce-and-Hulk didn't get much of this growing up. Hulk seems to be picking it up by osmosis now.
> 
> Hulk has a very strong protective instinct. He and Bruce are a tangled sprawl across family tropes such as [Big Brother Instinct](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BigBrotherInstinct), [Big Brother Bully](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BigBrotherBully), and [Promotion to Parent](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PromotionToParent). One of the bizarre things about their relationship is that they _take turns_ with all that stuff, because they are kind and cruel, responsible and irresponsible, in different areas. It's not as simple as Bruce being the guy who has to keep Hulk contained.
> 
> [Touching people without consent](http://freethoughtblogs.com/brutereason/2013/06/25/touching-people-without-their-consent-still-a-problem-even-if-its-not-sexual/) \-- especially picking them up -- can cause problems. Hulk does not understand yet why Red would find this threatening. There's a lot she hasn't told Bruce-and-Hulk, or anyone else, about her past. Phil and Clint know enough to understand this part, and Bucky was there for some of it, but that's about it. Plus which, Hulk's sense of [appropriate boundaries](http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/06/29/how-to-create-healthy-boundaries/) is skewed because he has so little experience with anyone respecting _his_.

**Author's Note:**

> This story comes courtesy of [audience discussion](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9652149.html) following _[Saudades](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9628057.html)." _ Librarygeek mentioned [in a comment](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9652149.html?thread=17464757#cmt17464757), "I don't see Bruce getting poetry yet, I think. It would take emotional skills that Bruce doesn't have?" Then Peoriapeoriawhereart said [in another comment](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9652149.html?thread=17467317#cmt17467317), "I think this worked for Bruce, because while he might not turn to poetry, I think it's in there. He's swimming in emotions, he just doesn't express them." That got me thinking that Hulk would love poetry, which led to me thinking about Dr. Seuss in some specific contexts, which are set later in the series. So then [Anonymous (Kellyc) protested](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9652149.html?thread=17485749#cmt17485749), "May I just say that it is NOT too early to have someone read Hulk Dr. Seuss? Because it really, really isn't." I thought about that further, and eventually came up with a current place to start this.
> 
> The giant birds are inspired by "[terror birds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae)" and [extinct condors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentavis_magnificens), so some of them are flightless while others can fly. Yes, there have been Hulk-sized birds and small-plane-sized birds.
> 
> Giant birds lay giant eggs. The largest known eggs came from the extinct [elephant bird](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_bird), up to three feet long, which is about the size that Hulk finds. The largest eggs laid by living birds come from [ostriches](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrich).
> 
> [Boredom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boredom) is a challenge, especially for [young children](http://shine.yahoo.com/5-causes-boredom-toddlers-043900387.html). It's important for children to learn [how to entertain themselves](http://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/raise-great-kids/intellegent-creative-child/boredom-busters-good-for-kids). There are [lots of fun options](http://www.mommyish.com/2013/07/18/cheap-and-easy-toddler-activities/). A key problem for Hulk is that he has almost no life experience of his own. Bruce only lets him out willingly for fighting. So of course Hulk gets bored when there's nothing left to smash! He needs to learn about doing other things, and the team helps with that.


End file.
